AMC has expanded its hit series, The Walking Dead, with several spin-off shows. One of these shows, The Walking Dead: Dead City, finally aired last June 18.
While we already know that the series brings back the unlikely pairing of Maggie (played by Lauren Cohan) and Negan (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan), we also come across some new characters.
In the first episode, we come to know a new villain in the show, who kidnaps Maggie and Glenn's (played by Steven Yeun) son, Hershel (played by Logan Kim).
And now, we can't help but wonder who is the Croat in The Walking Dead: Dead City and what is his connection with Negan? Here's what we know about the Croat.
Who Is the Croat?
The main antagonist in The Walking Dead: Dead City was revealed to be the Croat (played by Zeljko Ivanek). His real name has since been unknown but it's possible that he was given that nickname for the Croatian.
In the spin-off series, the Croat is the leader of the Burazi, a hostile group of survivors (much like the Saviors). The term "buraz" is a Croatian slang used to call someone "brother."
The actor playing the Croat, Ivanek, has been on a number of movies such as Argo, Hannibal, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, and many more.
Why Did the Croat Take Hershel?
The first time we learn of the Croat in the spinoff series is from Maggie. We learn that Maggie looks for Negan to help save Hershel from the Croat, who has taken him from her as collateral.
The Croat learned that Hershel knew who Negan was and is trying to get information on his whereabouts. This is what led Maggie to look for Negan after their community was raided by the Croat and the Burazi.
As the Croat threatens to torture Hershel, the teenager doesn't give any information on his father's killer.
Hershel says:
"You can keep sitting in the dark trying to freak me out but I'm not saying sh*t."
Hershel isn't the only one that the Croat and his followers are holding captive.
Meanwhile, Maggie recognized the chilling whistle that the Croat did as something that Negan used to do. This is why she sought his help in finding Hershel before it's too late.
When Maggie finds Negan, he tells her that the Croat is "an exceptionally insane son of a b**ch."
Negan is also apprehensive about helping her rescue Hershel. But after promising that she'll take Ginny (played by Mahina Anne Marie Napoleon) to the new Hilltop, he agrees.
What Is the History Between the Croat and Negan?
It's no secret that Negan has a long list of enemies. Although The Walking Dead: Dead City pairs Maggie and Negan together, it doesn't necessarily mean that she has forgiven him for killing Glenn.
In an interview with CBR, Maggie explains the complicated relationship between the two in the spinoff series:
"I wouldn’t even use the word forgiveness. It’s way too impossible. But what I think was really exciting, definitely for me to do, was just to say, 'Have we ever really talked about this?' And at the end of the day, it’s been 15 years into the end of the world. There have been other generations trying to rebuild lives. But when you try to rebuild a life and you’re so defined by such traumatic things, who are you? What are you? How do you behave? How do you interact with anybody, let alone somebody who you have a lot of beef with?"
In the series, however, we learn more about Negan's enemy simply known as the Croat. And we learn more about his backstory in Dead City's second episode, Who's There?
As it turns out, the Croat was actually part of Negan's early days in the Sanctuary during the zombie outbreak. After taking him in, the Croat referred to Negan as his buraz for making him feel safe.
In the group, the Croat was appointed as Negan's resident torturer. While he was told to let a young girl go away, Negan revealed that the Croat did something unspeakable to her.
Negan explained to Maggie that while he was a monster to protect his people, the Croat was something more. He was a sadist who enjoyed torturing and toying with people.
In defiance, Negan took a shot at the Croat but missed. He was able to blow off the Croat's ear before he got away.
This is likely why the Croat is keen on looking for Negan: to take revenge on him and show him that he is more powerful now.
We'll have to wait for more information on the Croat in future episodes. But for now, catch episodes of The Walking Dead: Dead City on AMC. New episodes come out every Thursday until July 20th.
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